Threaded connectors mounted to end portions of coaxial cables are employed in the CATV industry in both indoor and outdoor applications. In either case, it is desirable to protect the end of the cable and its junction with the equipment to which it is attached from environmental hazards such as moisture and dirt. Connectors used on drop cables in outdoor installations are commonly exposed to harsher environmental conditions and, in addition, are subject to physical tampering and vandalism as, for example, in actual or attempted theft of services. As the industry moves toward “permanent” installations with addressable taps, with rising installation and service costs, there is clearly a need for connectors which maintain their integrity and reliability over long periods, as well as having means for defeating or discouraging physical interference by unauthorized persons. Furthermore, it is always desirable, of course, to produce virtually any article of manufacture at lower cost without sacrificing standards of operation and quality.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector for mounting to a coaxial cable which has improved environmental protection features, particularly over extended periods of time.
Another object is to provide a CATV connector having enhanced features suitable for outdoor installation.
A further object is to provide a threaded connector for use in CATV applications having built-in tamper resistant features.
Still another object is to provide a CATV coaxial cable connector which is generally less expensive to produce than prior art connectors used in the same applications while still providing equal or better performance, reliability and durability.
A still further object is to provide a connector for mounting to a terminal end of a coaxial cable which has fewer parts than conventional connectors of this type.
Yet another object is to provide a novel and improved method of mounting a connector to a coaxial cable and for installing the connector on a compatible equipment port.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.